Frequently Asked Questions

Saddleback College international students transfer to many prestigious universities in United States including UC Berkley, UCLA, UC San Diego, UC Irvine, UC Santa Barbara, USC, Cal State Fullerton, Cal State Long Beach and San Diego State University.

Saddleback College offers ESL classes that are designed to be taken with other academic classes if you are an F-1 international student. However, we do not offer an Intensive English Program. International students who apply to Saddleback College must submit TOEFL or IELTS scores that meet the English proficiency requirement.

Yes, International Orientation is mandatory for all incoming international students. During orientation, you will learn valuable information about maintaining valid F-1 status, the requirements for studying at Saddleback College, and much more.

“Available funds” means that the money is accessible at any time (i.e. you are able to withdraw money at any given time, without penalty). Examples of “accessible funds” include: checking or savings accounts. Please note that your bank certification should be current (not older than 6 months).

When submitting transcripts, please note that we require original official transcripts. We cannot accept faxed and/or copied transcripts. We require transcripts from high school (showing graduation date), and transcripts from any colleges/universities/languages schools you may have attended. Please note that transcripts which are not in English must also have certified English translations attached to them.

If you have moved, and changed your address, it is mandatory to notify us within 10 days of your move. It is very important that you inform us of any address changes, because the International Student Office needs to report your updated address in SEVIS. Please come by the International Student Office and fill out an address update form. Also, you must update your address in Mysite.

Your visa is valid. Please note that if you stay outside of the U.S. for longer than 5 months, you will need to apply for a new visa.

Your I-20 is up-to-date and valid. You will need a current travel signature. Please note that travel signatures are valid for 1 year, however, we recommend obtaining an updated travel signature every 6 months. Please ensure that all of the information on your I-20 is current, and your stay does not exceed the I-20’s expiration date.

All international students are required to be enrolled on a full-time basis during the academic year. Full-time means at least 12 units during the fall and spring terms, or if summer is your first semester, 6 units during summer. Enrollment for the summer term is not required if you began your studies in the fall or spring terms. There are a few reasons students can drop below 12 units during the fall or spring term. Please contact the International Student Office before you drop below 12 units.

If you have forgotten your PIN, click on “Forgot My PIN” and you can log in by correctly answering your security question (you provided the answer to this question when you submitted your application). If this fails to work, please visit the student technical support website. Do not keep trying to log in and guess your password. If you try to type in the incorrect password multiple times unsuccessfully, your account may be disabled for 1 hour. If you have forgotten your password, please refer to the directions in the previous link.

Yes, the student health insurance that is provided through the International Student Office is mandatory for all international students and must be purchased before enrolling in classes. Even if you have insurance in your home country, it is required for international students to carry the insurance offered by the Saddleback College International Student Office. If you are government or embassy sponsored, please visit the International Student Office for further information about insurance.

If you need to change your major, you first need to meet with an academic counselor. You may make an appointment to meet with a counselor by calling (949) 582-4637. During your appointment, tell the counselor that you would like to change your major and that you need to create a new academic plan. Please bring your new academic plan to the International Student Office. We will make a copy of your new plan, and begin the process of updating your SEVIS record and I-20. Please allow us between 2-3 business days to issue you a new I-20 with your updated major.

If you have been accepted by another institution and wish to transfer, please bring your acceptance letter and the transfer authorization form from your new institution to the International Student Office. Some schools like USC do not have transfer authorization forms, so please consult your new school to see what their transfer in requirements are. We will process your request within 3 business days.

If you are interested in working on-campus, please call the International Student Office at 949-582-4637 to make an appointment with the International Student Program Specialist to discuss the possibility of on-campus work authorization.

If you are interested in OPT, please call the International Student Office at 949-582-4637 to make an appointment with the International Student Program Specialist to discuss possibility of pursuing OPT once you have completed your program.

Most importantly, do NOT drop your class without consulting the International Student Office, especially if your enrollment falls below full-time! Saddleback College has resources for students who are struggling in their classes. The Learning Assistance Program offers tutoring services. Your instructor is also a valuable resource; he/she may be able to assist you with extra reading, or suggested study tips or resources.

If you have tried both of these methods, and still want to drop a class, please schedule an appointment with the International Student Program Specialist about your desire to drop a class. Please note that you are required to be enrolled in and complete at least 12 units. Please come by the International Student Office to meet with the International Student Program Specialist BEFORE you drop below full-time. Dropping a class and being enrolled in less than 12 units will have negative immigration-related consequences.

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